We want to see fair polls: UK high commissioner

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson today said they wanted to see a fair election, following a courtesy call he paid on BNP mayoral candidate for Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) polls Ishraque Hossain at the latter’s Gopibagh residence this evening.

“We want to see holding of fair polls so that people can cast their votes going to the polling centres,” Dickson told reporters after the meeting.

The meeting came within two hours of the attack on Ishraque and his supporters during election campaigns in Old Dhaka, but the programme had been scheduled much earlier.

“I am making courtesy calls on other mayoral runners and as part of my job, I met Ishraque Hossain,” he told reporters.

Supporters of Ishraque and an Awami League nominated councillor candidate clashed in Wari this afternoon for over half an hour, leaving at least 15 people, including two journalists, injured. 

Ishraque blamed the ruling party activists, saying the attack was made to ruin the election atmosphere, whereas AL supporters said their rivals were shouting instigating slogans against them.